Having watched the first episode. It's understandable that people new to Junji Ito's works would be rather underwhelmed and confused by it. As the show's marketing kind of paints a picture that this is going to be a definitive anime collection of truly terror-inspiring horror short stories from one of Japan's kings of the horror manga. To only get an almost comedic first episode about Souichi a
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Having watched the first episode. It's understandable that people new to Junji Ito's works would be rather underwhelmed and confused by it. As the show's marketing kind of paints a picture that this is going to be a definitive anime collection of truly terror-inspiring horror short stories from one of Japan's kings of the horror manga. To only get an almost comedic first episode about Souichi a demented youth who plays uninspired childish tricks on others using voodoo doll curses. To then find down in the comments a mixture of people either defending and/or trying to sell this series protentional or others questioning the show's worth based solely on a lackluster first episode.

Unfortunately, for the sake of the anime itself. It appears to be suffering from a poor choice of an audience hooking first episode storyline. Basically, the show should have really started out with a bang and hits hard with one of the best of Ito's terror-inducing works from the start. Once we're hooked and the tension starts to ease. At this point bring on some of the stories like Souichi's to give us a breather now and then. Allowing for the initial viewer hook and then the pacing of the overall tension the viewership well experience throughout the show's season. Instead of feeling a bit underwhelmed and questioning this show's worth to even continue on to the next week. Especially, given that the show is in an episodic format of individual short stories. Which are for the most part independent of one another. Yet, affects the show's overall value when they're considered together.

This makes me wonder why did they choose this particular story from Ito's large library. After doing some research, I found that Souichi is kind of a fan favorite in Japan and appears to be used as one of the manga series' mascots of sorts in its marketing. So this fact leads me to believe the first episode was intended to draw in longtime fans of Junji Ito, not so much to acquire new fans, and maybe the shows a victim of some cultural differences in what is perceived as horror. Sadly these possible facts kind of makes me question, whether if the anime creators actually believe in the show's potential on its own merit and are instead just making a love letter collection to longtime fans of the author. Which kind of seems a bit counter-intuitive as most anime is created to draw new readership to the original works and most importantly gain more buyers to sell more merchandise to.

So that leaves the question. Do I recommend if people should watch or even give this show a few more episodes? The short answer at the moment is "yes, but it depends". I mean it depends on what we get with episode 2 and ultimately based on what stories the anime creators decided to use from the author's vast library of works.

I can say with a little research. I've come across some really phenomenal horror stories in his collection that are quickly making me a fan. Having admittedly never read any of his works before. He has truly earned all his accolades with them and his art is excellent. But as with most, if not all long-time authors. His collection of works appear vast and memorable but overall really are hit or miss storywise. With some of his stories only being merely decent horror-wise. With their real selling point actually being the artwork he has portrayed them in. So I can say that the commenters who are singing the series' potential with high prise are very well founded, but there is also some of his more meh stories that might make their way into the show as well.

Overall, I have chosen to give this review 4 stars. As it did not take me very long to find some stellar stories in Junji Ito's catalog. That, if used, would make this show a truly 5-star horror series in my eyes. Yet, as of the time of this writing, I can't give a 5-star rating to this show based solely on potential alone, especially with the rather poor choice of the first episode's short story.

Junji Ito is a master of horror to which there is no rival. His pacing, detail and compositions are unbelievably calculated and well-made. Each panel drips with the oppressive weight of his inking and nail biting suspense. There is no bland or useless panel in a Junji Ito manga.

... So why is it this whole anime seems to be full of nothing but that blandness? Moments that shocked and unnerved
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Junji Ito is a master of horror to which there is no rival. His pacing, detail and compositions are unbelievably calculated and well-made. Each panel drips with the oppressive weight of his inking and nail biting suspense. There is no bland or useless panel in a Junji Ito manga.

... So why is it this whole anime seems to be full of nothing but that blandness? Moments that shocked and unnerved readers are now so awkward and poorly paced they border on humor. The art apes Ito's incredible eye for detail with flatly shaded pastiche, and the colors used seem slapped on with a paint bucket. In trying to recreate Ito's manga with a shoestring budget and cheap animation, they've severely hampered its quality.

To rate this anime highly, I assume, can only be due to the overall quality of Ito's manga. But to equate it to this dreck is giving him a great insult. Read the manga instead.

Sadly, this is in fact a pale imitation of Junji Ito's work, and while it is faithful and picks some of his strongest work, it's, uh...

Slapdash? Poorly focused? It's hard to describe how a static image can have so much more impact than a fully animated, acted scene, but in every single episode it does.

I'm not going to tell anyone not to watch, since it's still enjoyable for fans and a
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Sadly, this is in fact a pale imitation of Junji Ito's work, and while it is faithful and picks some of his strongest work, it's, uh...

Slapdash? Poorly focused? It's hard to describe how a static image can have so much more impact than a fully animated, acted scene, but in every single episode it does.

I'm not going to tell anyone not to watch, since it's still enjoyable for fans and a great introduction to his work, but I would say it's probably a better idea just to read the far superior manga works.\

That said, I love the opening. Might not be anything special in a technical sense, but the music choice and visuals work very well together. That's a plus?

So I've never read anything by Junji Ito and I didn't do any research because I wanted to view it without any sort of opinion going into it. Now it is being touted as a genre defining series, so imo it does not meet that expectation concerning horror. The first ep is more of a slightly suspenseful, comedic act than it is a nightmare haunting episode of horror. That being said,
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So I've never read anything by Junji Ito and I didn't do any research because I wanted to view it without any sort of opinion going into it. Now it is being touted as a genre defining series, so imo it does not meet that expectation concerning horror. The first ep is more of a slightly suspenseful, comedic act than it is a nightmare haunting episode of horror. That being said, I loved the first episode because of the laughs and am looking forward to seeing more of souichi, who almost reminds me of a real life chuckie or a petulant child with some sort of powers. First time viewers, like myself, will probably enjoy this much more than the hardcore fans more familiar with his work.

This series made me think what makes a good horror. I've been going through some stories by H. P. Lovecraft lately and they absolutely charmed me with their twisted intrigues, well realized themes of madness and hidden threats that go beyond the limits of human imagination.

I think Junji Ito tried to achieve something similar, but apart from 3-4 stories he fails miserably. The same,
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This series made me think what makes a good horror. I've been going through some stories by H. P. Lovecraft lately and they absolutely charmed me with their twisted intrigues, well realized themes of madness and hidden threats that go beyond the limits of human imagination.

I think Junji Ito tried to achieve something similar, but apart from 3-4 stories he fails miserably. The same, predictable plot vehicles repeating over and over again. People behaving in an absolutely unnatural and irrational ways, that kills any suspension of disbelief. Supernatural elements that are so random and convoluted that they come out as laughable rather than genuinely creepy or scary. Often anticlimactic conclusions. For something advertising through the name of its writer it's simply full of bad, uninspired writing and poor production. Very much not-recommended.

I love that show. You can really feel the writing style of Ito through the episodes and I love this type of horror. You feel the same emotions as the characters. I think it has the potential to become an amazing series in the next weeks. It has a unique way of scaring people because of the creepiness of the characters.

The first episode was totally fine imo, but it's only going to get better. Junji Ito is the horror master and by the looks of the first ep, the style is captured nicely with great animation. Prepare for some scares everyone! Can't wait to see my favourites from his collections being animated!

I enjoy the fact that not every episode is particularly linked and that one episode isn't all there is its more like a lot of episodes cut up and put together viewing different times in episodes but of course nothing spoiled. Its deff cut up and put together past - present - future.

About the Show

The works of one of the most famous Japanese horror manga artists, Junji Ito, finally gets animated! This will be an omnibus animation where
The works of one of the most famous Japanese horror manga artists, Junji Ito, finally gets animated! This will be an omnibus animation where each episode will star different protagonists such as the famous Tomie, Soichi, and Fuchi!
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